I think that it is great that you are going to this conference and that =
you went to the one for Mathas well. I sure wish that I could go too. I =
never thought to go to these conferences before, and now that I'm =
unemployed, I can't afford it. But when I read your post on ArtsEdNet, =
the necessity for us art teachers to do these kinds of things became =
very clear. I'm a big advocate of connecting Art to the other subjects =
within the curriculum. This is as important to first graders as it is to =
12th grade students. I could go on for hours about the how's and why's, =
but unfortunately, my associates who teach the other subjects, seldom =
see the relevance. They are not in any great hurry to deal with changes =
to their established lesson plans for the sake of a "little art =
project." As someone who is not only dedicated to the teaching of Art, =
but more importantly, to education in general, I see it as our job to =
build the bridges that will span these gaps within our curriculum. It is =
one of my goals as an Art teacher, to become a vital part of the Math =
Department as well as the Science department and the English Department =
and all the others. If Art is as important as all the experts say it is, =
then why are we not taken as seriously as we should be? Everything is in =
writing, now we Art teachers need to prove it. You have taken a big step =
in doing just that. Hopefully, if I get a job in the next year, I will =
get a chance to meet you at one of these conferences.=20

I think that it is great that you are going to this conference and =
that you=20
went to the one for Mathas well. I sure wish that I could go too. I =
never=20
thought to go to these conferences before, and now that I'm unemployed, =
I can't=20
afford it. But when I read your post on ArtsEdNet, the necessity for us =
art=20
teachers to do these kinds of things became very clear. I'm a big =
advocate of=20
connecting Art to the other subjects within the curriculum. This is as =
important=20
to first graders as it is to 12th grade students. I could go on for =
hours about=20
the how's and why's, but unfortunately, my associates who teach the =
other=20
subjects, seldom see the relevance. They are not in any great hurry to =
deal with=20
changes to their established lesson plans for the sake of a "little =
art=20
project." As someone who is not only dedicated to the teaching of =
Art, but=20
more importantly, to education in general, I see it as our job to build =
the=20
bridges that will span these gaps within our curriculum. It is one of my =
goals=20
as an Art teacher, to become a vital part of the Math Department as well =
as the=20
Science department and the English Department and all the others. If Art =
is as=20
important as all the experts say it is, then why are we not taken as =
seriously=20
as we should be? Everything is in writing, now we Art teachers need to =
prove it.=20
You have taken a big step in doing just that. Hopefully, if I get a job =
in the=20
next year, I will get a chance to meet you at one of these conferences. =